


Aliens And Ghosts

by spotty8ee



Category: 101 Dalmatian Street (Cartoon)
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Dark Past, Hurt/Comfort, Late Night Conversations, Nobody is Dead, Self-Sacrifice, Suicidal Thoughts, but not really, more like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 16:07:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19113121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spotty8ee/pseuds/spotty8ee
Summary: After a day of fighting Aliens, its up to Dylan to chase down some ghosts of the past. As well as face some inner demons. However, its not the beasts in the shadows Dylan finds he needs to fear, but the shadows that lurk in the mind.





	Aliens And Ghosts

**Author's Note:**

> This story is tied to the world of my other 101 Dalmatian St story 'Not So Black And White.' In it, Dogs basically have the same standing in society as people. They can have jobs, own houses and raise their kids the best they can. They just can't talk to people easily and need translators, writing, charades, and those little type boxes to communicate to them. Makes life really interesting! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Takes place right after "Dal-Martians".

Dylan groaned as he settled down on his plush pillow bed. He was exhausted after a very, very long day of ‘Alien Hunting’ and desperately needed shut eye. He rolled around a bit to try to get comfortable, frowning as he remembered most of the day after the float ended up in the canal. They were lucky no one was hurt when that thing went out of control and even luckier that authorities weren’t required to fish it out of the river. The only ones greatly affected by his actions were Roxy’s humans, who Dylan scared half to death. It was awkward to explain the situation to mom and dad, especially when Roxy’s humans acted like the whole family was rabid at first when mom and dad took them next door to apologize.

 

Thankfully, once the whole debacle was explained via paw written note, they were more pleased their costumes were so convincing than angry about the float. In fact they weren’t even angry at all. They picked it up from a junkyard and were gonna scrap it after the parade anyway.

 

Didn’t make Dolly, Dawkins or himself any less grounded. And being grounded didn’t stop Dolly from telling the story to any listening ear. Soon the whole house knew the entire sorted tale.

 

Dylan huffed out his nose, still a little embarrassed. How could he think Aliens were trying to contact him? It was so silly, after all why come to him of all dogs. Why not a Royal Corgi or the President’s dog in America. Some no name pup in Camden Town was likely one of the last beings Aliens would think of talking to… He’d been fooled so easily. Not to say Dolly and Dawkin’s work wasn’t convincing, but Dylan could still feel his pride throb painfully in his chest. He wouldn’t be living this down for a while.

 

A just punishment for his previous, pompous behavior…

 

Just as he heard the soft snores of his siblings in the other pockets of the room, Dylan began to drift off, eyes drooping heavily. He hummed softly, putting a paw over his snout.

 

Poke.

 

Dylan frowned, curling up tighter into a ball.

 

POKE.

 

He groaned slightly, lifting his head just a touch off the ground. “What is it?” He asked, too tired to see who it was.

 

“Dylan.”

 

“Dante?” Dylan let his eyes reluctantly flutter open. Though hard to see in the darkness of the room, Dylan could make out the younger dog’s outline. He had pushed himself into Dylan’s fireplace bed and was blocking the exit, moonlight speckling behind him. Dylan squinted up at him and cocked his head. “Whats up?” 

 

“I was just thinking about Dolly’s story.” Dante said, face unreadable in the darkness. “Is it true you wanted to crash the ‘Alien Spaceship’ by pushing down on the gas pedal as hard as you could?”

 

Dylan moaned, ears drooping. “Come on, don’t rub it in…” He had had enough of this today.

 

“Is it?” Dante insisted.

 

“That was the plan yes.” Dylan said laying down, facing away from his brother. “You can laugh about how much of a fool I am in the morning though, ok? My humiliation meter if full up now.”

 

Dante didn’t say anything and Dylan expected him to leave. However the other came closer, mouth right next to his ear.

 

“What the hell were you thinking?” He asked lowly.

 

“Hey, langue.” Dylan tisked lightly, too tired to properly scold him. “I thought the world was being invaded by Aliens Dante.” Dylan sighed. “I dunno what I was-”

 

“No.”

 

Dylan paused at Dante’s cold tone, he opened his eyes fully but didn’t turn to him. “No?”

 

Dante sniffed heavily, breath puffing out slightly angry. “What was your endgame?”

 

“I don’t… endgame?” Dylan asked.

 

“Endgame Scenario.” Dante said slowly. “How did you think that was gonna end?” When his older brother didn’t answer, Dante pressed closer. “Cause it seems to me that a scenario where your sitting at the bottom of a fast moving vehicle, where you can’t see what's coming, with no way to escape, does not have an ending that favours you.” 

 

Dylan stared at the back of the fireplace quietly.

 

“Well.”

 

The elder snuffled, eyes darting to the floor.

 

“Dylan. I want an answer.”

 

“Do you?” Dylan muttered. In the following, cool silence Dylan realized the other had no plans to leave without a response. He hefted himself to a seated position and turned to the younger. At this angle, he could see Dante’s hard glare at him.

 

And the slight quiver in his bottom chin.

 

“Aw bro.” Dylan sighed. “I figured, since Dolly and Dawkins were… taken over by the alien race, then everyone else was likely taken as well. I didn’t know how to save you guys... If I could save you guys at all.” Dylan said softly, tilting his head as Dante held his gaze. “I figured, I needed to try something.”

 

“So you were just gonna die?” Dante hissed out, still trying to be quiet.

 

“Die trying.”

 

Dante’s shoulders bunched and his hackles tensed. However he couldn’t keep his glare and looked pointedly away. Eyes starting to red a bit.

 

“Hey, its ok. Nothing happened.” Dylan said, lowering his head to try and catch the others gaze.

 

“You wanted to die.”

 

“Only if it meant I might stop something terrible from happening to my family.” Dylan said. He paused for a moment before his eye widened, realizing what Dante was really worried about. “ Only then . Never any other time.” Dylan pressed.

 

The younger looked at him again, glower dropping to a puppy dog like stare. “Why?”

 

“Well I’d do anything for my family.” Dylan said simply. “For any one of you.”

 

Dante snorted a little, some snot trickling out of his nose. Dylan was used to that though, with 97 puppies in the house, even if it was a little gross. “That's not fair though.” Dante said thickly, voice becoming emotional. “This place wouldn’t last a day without you.”

 

“I wouldn’t last a day if I lost a single one of you.” Dylan answered. 

 

At that Dante face slowly started to screw up tightly in anguish, making him snort and hiccup. More snot started dripping from his nose and his face was getting a bit wet around the eyes. 

 

“Hey it's ok.” Dylan looked around quickly before he grabbed an old blanket he had kicked to the corner of his bed, using it to wipe Dante’s face off. “Here, come here.” Dylan scooted back on the bed and went to lay down, pulling Dante down beside him before putting an arm over him. “There we go. That’s it.”

 

Dante shoved his face into Dylan’s chest, and the elder sighed knowing his fur there would need washing tomorrow. He just rested his chin on the other’s head for now though.

 

“You're way too calm about this…” Dante forced out, sucking in what sounded like a very raw sob.

 

“Maybe.” Dylan admitted, squeezing the other. “I know I’d never plan on dying on any of you, but if it was a split second decision and I had the chance to save the family, I’d take it, no question.” He nuzzled Dante’s head slightly when the other sobbed. “That's just who I am.”

 

“I don’t want you to die because of me…”

 

Dylan paused, eyes looking out into the darkness of the bedroom. At sleeping pups in their beds. He smiled softly. “Well that's too bad. It's not up to you.”

 

Dante snuffled tightly. “It never is…”

 

Dylan pulled away a bit. “Does this have anything to do with your mom?” He asked, looking down at his younger brother. “Cause that wasn’t your fault. She wasn’t ok, her mind wasn’t in a good place and none of the doctors she saw gave her anything for it. That what you dad told me and he wouldn’t lie.”

 

“I feel like I should have done something…”

 

“You were three Dante.” Dylan pressed his nose to the side of Dante’s head. “You couldn’t have done anything.”

 

Dante huffed.

 

“Look, don’t worry about me, ok? Dying is the last thing on my agenda right now and I promise it's only my last resort.” Dylan said. “I wouldn’t do that to you guys if I had another way. I promise.”

 

“Yeah?” Dante asked, voice watery.

 

“Of course.” He smirked. “You won’t get rid of me that easy.”

 

Dante didn’t say anything, but he slowly looked to the floor, biting his lower lip. 

 

“Hey, listen, you wanna sleep here tonight?” Dylan asked, patting his pillow with his free paw. “Would that help you feel better?”

 

Dante snuffled tightly, his nose still stuffed up from crying and he rubbed it before asking. “I won’t keep you up?”

 

“Trust me, anything would be an improvement over last night.” Dylan said with a chuckle. “Do not try sleeping draped over your telescope.”

 

Dante blinked at him before snorting in mild amusement. “I’ll keep that in mind…”

 

“Alright wizenheimer, lay down.” Dylan said, doing so himself. Once they rested together for a few moments Dylan sighed contently, comfortable again.

 

“Dylan.”

 

“Mmm?” Dylan didn’t rise or open his eyes, but his ear raised an inch.

 

“Your one of the only things keeping this mess of a family together.”

 

“Don’t talk about my family like that.” Dylan said sleepily, cuffing Dante lightly on the back of the head. “Your at least one percent of that mess and I wouldn’t trade any of it.”

 

“Well, you still are keeping us together.”

 

“You don’t think I don’t know that?” Dylan smiled slightly. “You’d all be eating out of trash cans, itching flea bites and sleeping in holes without me.” He squeezed the other again. “I know what you're really saying though. So thanks.” Then he bonked Dante lightly on the nose. “Now let me sleep, I got another full day tomorrow.”

 

They both fell quiet, pressed against each other in the darkness.

* * *

 

Poke. POKE. _ Poke _ .  **Poke** . Poke . Poke.

 

Ah geeze.

 

Dylan awoke groggy, with about ten tiny paws digging their way into his back, though they lacked the usual chorus of little voices urging him to make breakfast. Lifting his head, they all pulled away.

 

“ _ Dylan _ .” Dizzy voice whispered to him from the entry of his bed.

 

“ _ Dylan _ .” Dee Dee, as always, echoed her sister.

 

“ _ Its time to get up Dylan. _ ” 

 

“ _ Yeah, its time to get up.” _

 

“Alright.” Dylan said, yawning broadly. “I’m up, I’m up, I’m-”

 

“ _ Shhhh! _ ” About five voices hushed him, tiny paws shaking in the air.

 

“Huh?” Dylan blinked.

 

“ _ You’ll wake him up. _ ” Dee Dee cooed, looking down.

 

Dylan glanced down as well, finding Dante still curled up against him, fast asleep. “Ah.” Dylan mumbled, carefully pulling his arm away. With a slight shift and a step he made it out of bed without waking the other. He waded through the puddle of puppies in front of his bed with a smile. “I still got it.”

 

“Got what?” Dizzy asked.

 

“Ah nothing. So you guys want breakfast?” 

 

“Breakfast?” One puppy poked out of their bed.

 

“Breakfast?!” Another appeared. 

 

“ **Breakfast!!!** ”

 

“Look out below! Puppy-alanche comin’ through!” Dolly laughed as the youngsters herded downstairs at the mention of food. She stretched, making her back pop audibly before groaning happily. “Ah, good morning hero of the Earth.”

 

“Ha ha.” Dylan fornwed, ear pinned back.

 

“Oh don’t worry! That's the last one.” Dolly said, shrugging. “I mean, at least before breakfast.” 

 

“I’ll take what I can get.” Dylan sighed.

 

Dolly peered around him with a frown. “Dante in your bed? What did he have a nightmare?”

 

“Uh.” Dylan looked to their little brother before clicking his tongue. “Ugh, no he just had something on his mind.”

 

“Anything I should know about?” Dolly asked, curious. 

 

Dylan stared at Dante for a few seconds before humming. “Mmmm, no. No its ok. I handled it, nothing to concern yourself with.”

 

“If you say so.” Dolly smiled, going out the door herself. “I’m gonna go feed the crowds before we have a riot down there.” 

 

“Good idea.” Dylan muttered, glancing back at Dante one last time. Then he followed Dolly down the stairs, letting Dante get a few more moments of sleep.

 

He likely needed it.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I really want to note here that Dylan is not suicidal, just very willing to do anything for his family. Still not a healthy mind set, but he's no danger to himself. This was basically born from an idea I had after watching the episode, because what WAS Dylan's Endgame in that situation?


End file.
